Nickel chromium austenitic type

Narrow cold-rolled stainless steel strip, nickel chromium austenitic grades

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 6911 · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7220 12 22 (nickel chromium austenitic stainless steel flat-rolled products of width less than 600 mm and thickness less than 4.75 mm) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); enforcement is effective from 31 March 2026, subject to a three-year deferral granted by S.O. 5134(E) for these three standards. Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7220 12 22

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 6911 · effective 31-03-2026

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence on the BIS online register against the applicable standard — IS 6911 for industrial-grade flat products, IS 5522 for utensil-grade sheet and strip, or IS 15997 for low-nickel austenitic grades. Confirm the licensed scope covers the specific grade, thickness, width, and manufacturing facility.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The product itself must bear the ISI mark and the CM/L number; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the QCO requirement.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Schedule 1, column requirements
3
During the S.O. 5134(E) deferral period, consignments imported without BIS certification must be registered on the TCQCO portal as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Obtain clarification from the portal for each such consignment; CBIC has confirmed this obligation via F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023.
Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023 · F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain within validity on the bill of entry date.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy condition no. 5 of Chapter 72
5
Ensure the bill of entry carries the supplier's BIS CM/L number, the SIMS registration number, and TCQCO portal acknowledgement (where applicable). Comply with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding mandatory IS mapping for input materials of steel products.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most consequential trap on this tariff line is treating the Ministry of Steel's temporary deferral under S.O. 5134(E) as a full exemption from the QCO. The deferral suspends the mandatory CM/L marking obligation for IS 6911, IS 5522, and IS 15997 only until 31 March 2026; it does not waive the TCQCO portal registration requirement for uncertified consignments, nor the SIMS overlay. Importers who skip the TCQCO portal step during the deferral window face detention under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, regardless of the S.O. 5134(E) relief.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7220 12 22 require BIS certification?

Yes. Conformity to IS 6911, IS 5522, or IS 15997 (as applicable to the grade) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme pursuant to the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)), with enforcement effective from 31 March 2026.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does the S.O. 5134(E) deferral remove the obligation to use the TCQCO portal for uncertified consignments?

No. S.O. 5134(E) suspends mandatory CM/L marking for these three standards for three years from gazette publication; it does not waive the Ministry of Steel's TCQCO portal registration requirement for consignments imported without BIS certification, which remains operative per the circular dated 20-10-2023.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all three stainless steel standards and all product variants?

No. The CM/L licence is standard-specific and scope-specific by grade, thickness range, and manufacturing facility; a licence against IS 6911 does not cover product falling within IS 5522 or IS 15997, and variants outside the licensed scope are not covered.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.